Fence post with electric fence wire attaching means



May 4, 1954 M. D. EIDE ETAL 2,677,529

FENCE POST WITH ELECTRIC FENCE WIRE ATTACHING MEANS Filed NOV. 8, 1951 Fig. Fig. 8

'IIIA Maf/rias D. Eide Keith H. Eide INVENTORS BY Wwf-M...

Patented May 4, 1954 UN ST AT ES iETENT OFFICE- FENCE POST WITH ELECTRIC FENCE WIRE ATTACHING MEANS Application November 8, 1951, Serial No. 255,392"

' 2 Claims.

Our inventionrelates to'improvementsin fence posts for wire fencing, Aespecially electrically charged fence wire.

By wayr of previse, permanent wire fences, especially on farms, prevent mowing and planting for a substantial distance on each side of the fence line, and are usually flanked by a solid bed of Weeds which spread unless laboriously cut with a sickle, or the like, all of which presents a serious problem on farms particularly with long lines of such fencing.

Having the foregoing in mind, the primary object of my invention is to provide a practical, durable fence post constructed with a wire supporting section removable and replaceable at will and with wire insulation and `attaching means easily and quickly detached and replaced for facilitating removal of the removable section and replacement thereof.

@ther objects, subordinate to the above, together with the precise nature of our improvements will be readily understood when the following description and claims are read with reference to the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation, partly in vertical section, illustrating our improved fence post in the preferred embodiment thereof;

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View in transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, enlarged View illustrating the coupling means between the base section and the removable section of the fence post;

Figure 5 is a composite enlarged, fragmentary View illustrating the coupling means uncoupled;

Figure 6 is a View in front elevation of the base section;

Figure 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary View in vertical section of the upper end portion of the removable section, and

Figure 8 is an enlarged View in transverse section taken on the line 8--8 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, the fence post of our invention, designated as a unit by the numeral I, is formed hollow, and of suitable metal, preferably steel, with longitudinal corrugations, as shown, and comprises, as its main components', a base section 2 and a removable section 3.

The base section 2, which is relatively shorter than said section 3, is adapted to be anchored permanently in the ground 4, with its upper end 6 closed and substantially level with the ground ai and is provided with downwardly flaring sides for permanently anchoring the sections in the ground, said section 2 being tapered downwardly between said sides to facilitateentering the same in the ground 4.

The removable section 3 which is of the usual length of fence posts above ground is provided with a dome-shaped upper end I and a bottom forming closure plate B is secured to its lower end and adapted to rest on the upper end B of the base section 2.

`Coupling means removably coupling the lower end of the removable vsection 3 to the base seetion 2 provided as'follows:y The base section 2 is formed at its upper end with a pair of.y diametrically opposite, circumferential key'lugs IU of arcuate shape longitudinally and inclinin'g from the horizontal at an angle suitable for a purpose presently clear. The removable section 3 is formed at its lower end withza depending, annular, circumferential flange I I of internally channeled form, said flange being preferably arcuate in cross section. A pair of diametrically opposite bottom notches I 2 in said flange I I provides for fitting of said flange over the lugs IB so that by rotating the removable section 3, the lugs I0 may be positioned inside and engage with the fiange II to couple said sections 3 and 2 together.

In connection with the lugs I0, because of the described inclination, or angle thereof, said lugs are adapted to engage with said flange II to cam the flange downwardly and tightly seat the closure plate 8, and hence the bottom of the removable section 3, on the base section 2. As will be seen, the lugs I0 and channelled flange II form interlocking coupling devices, on said sections respectively which may be unlocked by rotating the section 3 to register the notches I2 with the lugs I5 so that the section 3 may be uncoupled and removed from the base section 2, The described lugs I0 are countersunk into the ground 4 and the top 6 is flush with the ground 4 so as not to interfere with mowing over the base section 2.

Means are provided for detachably attaching fence wires I3 to the removable section 3 cornprising the following: vertically spaced pairs of apertures I4 are provided in opposite sides of the removable section 3, and wire insulation carrying clips I5 for interlocking with the pairs of apertures I4. Each clip I5 is formed of resilient wire and twisted intermediate its ends to form a split loop I6 in which a conventional split insulator i7 is suitably fixed, and a pair of legs I8 terminating in a pair of right angled oppositely extending jaws I9 with lateral end nubs 2D iitting in a pair of the apertures I4. The legs I8 are laterally spaced and jaws I9 crossed and extended from the legs I8 oppositely, relatively, so that by exing the legs I8 toward each other the jaws I9 may be separated, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 8, for placing in straddling relation to the removable section 3 so that upon release of the legs I8 the jaws I9 will react toward each other for entering the nubs 20 in a selected pair of apertures I4. When the clips are so interlociaed with the removable section 3 the jaws i Si are adapted to engage the front of the reniovable section 3 to maintain said clips in horizontal position, with the exeception presently noted. As will be seen, by separating the jaws I9 of the clips IEE, said clips may be detached from the removable section 3, or post I together' with the insulators E8 for detaching the wires i3. The uppermost pair of apertures I4 are spaced from the upper end of said removable section 3 and said end is formed with a top arcuate groove 2I therein so that the uppermost clip I5 may be swung from horizontal into vertical position, or vice versa, as shown in full lines and dotted lines in Figure 7 to increase or reduce the height of the fence as desired, and with the jaws I9 snapping into the groove 2l to maintain said uppermost clips in vertical upstanding position relative to said section 3.

As will now be seen, with the fence post or" our invention, the wires I3 may be easily detached from the removable section 3, and said section 3 uncoupled and removed from the base section 2 so that a fence line may be cleared by mowing, and/or cultivated for planting as desired, after which the section 3 may be replaced by coupling to the base section 2 and the wires I3 replaced by reattaching the clips I5.

As will also be seen, the clips I5 are interchangeable and may be used in selected numbers, as desired.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of our invention, without further explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification, Without departing from the inventive concept, and right is hereby reserved to such modifications as fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A fence post for embedding partway in the ground, a resilient fence wire attaching clip including a pair of jaws straddling said post adjacent the upper end thereof, and having right angled nubs thereon pivotally attached to the post for swinging of said clip from a horizontal position into an upright position and coacting means on said jaws and said end of the post interlocling with a snap action to maintain said clip in upright position.

2. A fence post according 'to claim 1 wherein said means comprises a top groove in said post seating' said jaws.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 231,717 Oliver July 24, 294393 Minel- Mar. 4, 1853i 680,745 Snedeaer Aug. 20, 1901 918,579 irfurch Apr. 20, 1909 1,141,154J Stahl June 1, 1915 1,164,909 Anberlin Dec. 21, i915 1,381,307 Dow et al Oct. 15, 1918 762,572 Davidson June 10, 1930 2,429,629 Newbern Oct. 14, 1347 2,437,344 Behlmann Mar. 9, 1948 2,471,839 Schumacher May 31, 1949 

